June 25th, 1973: "Here on earth, there's only one saint"

On

June 25,1973, the founder got a papal audience—the last one of his life.

Pope Paul greeted him affectionately. Five years had gone by since their last meeting. "Why haven't you come to see me more often?" he complained.

 

 

There was a sudden silence, which the founder ended by filling the Pope in on how the Work had been developing in all those years, all over the world. From time to time Pope Paul interrupted him and, looking at him with admiration, exclaimed, "You are a saint!" The founder kept protesting, "No, no. Your Holiness doesn't know me. I am a poor sinner." But the Pope kept insisting, "No, no. You are a saint." Overwhelmed and embarrassed, the founder finally deflected the praise from himself by saying, "Here on earth there is only one [santo]:" (saint): "the [Santo Padre]" (Holy Father).